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JAPAN
Aug 31, 2006

Kubota, other firms get asbestos bill

An expert panel of the Environment Ministry on Wednesday approved a proposal calling for machinery maker Kubota Corp. and others to contribute a total of 340 million yen a year to the private-sector's share in the new compensation law for asbestos victims.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 30, 2006

Amnesty International on track with call for inquiry

NEW YORK -- An Amnesty International report severely criticizes the Israeli Defense Forces's behavior during the recent war in Lebanon and calls for an independent commission of inquiry. Such a commission should investigate the actions of not only the IDF but also Hezbollah, as civilians were the main...
BASKETBALL
Aug 28, 2006

Fun for USA in latest victory

SAITAMA -- Some wins trigger a sigh of relief -- and may cause severe heartburn. Other victories induce elation.
BUSINESS
Aug 26, 2006

Ministry to seek 20.16 trillion yen for '07 welfare budget

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said Friday it will ask for 20.16 trillion yen in social security outlays in the fiscal 2007 budget.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 23, 2006

Brewers basking in the summer economic heat but the future looks flat

As the summer heats up, the beer is flowing around backyard barbecue grills and rooftop beer gardens in city centers. And this year, a recovering economy is putting a little extra fizz into beer sales.
BUSINESS
Aug 11, 2006

Suds shipments slump to record low

Shipments of beer, "happoshu" low-malt beer and nonmalt, beerlike drinks by Japan's five top brewers in July fell 5.7 percent year on year to 47.50 million cases due to a long rainy spell that cooled demand, industry figures showed Thursday.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Aug 3, 2006

Kuroda best in July

Hiroshima Carp right-hander Hiroki Kuroda was named the MVP for the month of July after winning all four starts, including a shutout, during the month, the Central League said Wednesday.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 1, 2006

Staffing companies find market in helping retired athletes

When international midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata recently announced his retirement from soccer, people wondered what he would do in the next stage of his life -- business, sports, or a combination of both?
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Jul 28, 2006

'World Ballet Festival'

The triennial "World Ballet Festival" celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, bringing dancers from all over the world to Tokyo Bunka Kaikan from July 29-Aug. 17 to perform both classical pieces and newly commissioned short works getting their world premiere.
COMMUNITY / How-tos / LIFELINES
Jul 25, 2006

Renting and dual nationality

In Japan, "truth" is often a very nebulous concept. A "situational ethics" approach to life here directly affects law and gives birth to the "don't ask, don't tell" attitude, which is pervasive in Japan.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 24, 2006

Containing chemical weapons

Recent events from the Middle East to Northeast Asia have once again highlighted the unsatisfactory state of affairs with respect to the tool kit available to the international community for responding to the challenge of weapons of mass destruction. This makes it all the more curious as to why more...
BUSINESS
Jul 22, 2006

47 trillion yen core '07 budget cap OK'd

The Cabinet on Friday approved a 46.8 trillion yen cap on core policy-related outlays in the fiscal 2007 budget, down from 47.5 trillion yen in the fiscal 2006 budget request guidelines and the lowest level in nine years.
BUSINESS
Jul 20, 2006

No mention of deflation in July economic report

The government signaled Wednesday the economy is definitely moving forward, dropping the word "deflation" from its monthly economic report for the first time in five years.
BUSINESS
Jul 20, 2006

2007 budget gets 47 trillion yen general spending cap

The government plans to limit fiscal 2007 general expenditures to about 46.8 trillion yen, down from 47.5 trillion yen in the fiscal 2006 budget request guidelines and marking the lowest level in nine years, Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki said Wednesday.
JAPAN
Jul 17, 2006

Kids weak at writing essays, explaining math

Japanese elementary and junior high school students are not very good at writing logical essays or explaining how they have solved mathematical problems, a study by the National Institute for Educational Policy Research has found.
BUSINESS
Jul 15, 2006

Rich, elderly to gain most from interest rate hike

The Bank of Japan's interest rate hike Friday will likely increase interest income by about 420 billion yen, and the wealthy and elderly will benefit the most, according to a private think tank.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Jul 11, 2006

A way forward?

Last month, Diet member and Senior Vice Minister of Justice Taro Kono publicized a new action plan for immigration.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jul 7, 2006

Foreign carmakers cash in as the rich get richer

One Sunday in June, a man in his 30s visited the spacious BMW showroom in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Jun 29, 2006

Clay captures the motion of organic forms

Seeming to peer out the window of the gallery is a brightly colored red and blue polka-dot blob. For a moment the amorphous shape looks like it is slowly crawling up the wall, till further inspection suggests that the piece is actually still -- or is it? Such is the work of Japanese ceramic artist Chiho...
EDITORIALS
Jun 21, 2006

Medical reforms need work

The laws passed last week by the Diet to curb the growth in the nation's medical spending testify to the government's determination to solve the problem. While the laws include positive elements, they are not problem-free. The government needs to continuously review the nation's medical system. Rationalizing...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jun 16, 2006

Old tipple with new spirit

KAGOSHIMA -- Some Japanese traditions are best left alone. Those who would attempt to capitalize on the popularity of Kyoto's ancient temples by placing soft-drink machines and loudspeakers inside them deserve the severest form of punishment a society can devise, like being forced to watch a TV program...
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design
Jun 13, 2006

The beautiful game inspires sartorial sins

Soccer might be known as the beautiful game, but it has never inspired beautiful design. As the World Cup in Germany gets into full swing, patriotic fervor will move millions of fans to purchase their team's jersey, resulting in innumerable crimes against good taste.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Jun 11, 2006

Stick-thin, gay, or preferably both -- a television career awaits

Truth in advertising has never been strictly enforced in Japan, especially with regard to health-related claims. Breweries can get away with promoting "low-calorie" beers as weight-loss aids, while pharmaceutical makers sell vitamin supplements that claim to do everything from clear up your skin to help...
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Jun 3, 2006

Abe's three-run homer off Matsuzaka lifts Giants over Lions

Shinnosuke Abe hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the sixth inning as the Yomiuri Giants rallied to beat the Seibu Lions 4-2 for their third straight win.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Jun 2, 2006

Human dramas revisited

Sky Perfect TV's Japanese movie channel and select cable television stations will celebrate the career of director Shoichiro Sasaki starting on June 16. Sasaki, a former NHK TV drama director, is highly rated not only by TV viewers but also by directors such as Hirokazu Koreeda, Shinya Tsukamoto and...
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design
May 23, 2006

Hanabi light, Kai series of pots and kettles, 60VISION bags, Sharp cordless phones

Anyone who follows this column regularly might accuse me of being a slave to all that is white -- and with a name like "Snow," that criticism does seem justified. So in order to get it all out of my system (at least for a few months), this month I'm covering all things white. There is a zen-like satisfaction...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHEN EAST MARRIES WEST
May 20, 2006

How sweet it is -- or isn't

My wife bakes in flurries and when the storm hits hardest, our kitchen becomes a virtual hurricane of flour and dough, not to mention Category 5 aromas.
JAPAN
May 19, 2006

Incidents reports drop nearly 20%

The number of incidents reported to police by members of the public dropped 19.5 percent in 2005 on the year to 1.4 million, the National Police Agency said Thursday.

Longform

Rock group The Yellow Monkey played K-Arena Yokohama in June as part of a nationwide tour. Concerts are increasingly popular in the age of social media as users value in-person experiences.
Inside Japan’s arena boom: Sports, sound and city-building